Rain thwarts Scottish run chase

Scotland hunted for their second ICC World Cricket League win against Kenya at Mannofield on Wednesday, and looked to be on course before the weather intervened the afternoon.

With rain forecast, captain Kyle Coetzer won the toss and elected to field first in overcast conditions. The side remained unchanged from the win on Sunday.

Neil Carter opened the bowling and claimed the first wicket of the day when he struck the pads of Alex Obanda in the 3rd over with a delivery that seemed to stay a little low.

Another wicket came Scotland’s way soon after when Morris Ouma went back in his crease to Carter, only to find his stumps disturbed to leave the Kenyans on 20/2 in the 7th over.

An excellent opening spell by Carter was complemented by the pace of Iain Wardlaw as the two bowlers gave Scotland the start they were after.

The home side opted to give Matt Machan a quick spell, and it proved to be good decision when he clean bowled Duncan Allan who is of Scottish descent but came through the Kenyan youth ranks, with the help of a bottom edge in the 12th over – his swift 2 over spell returned 2-0-12-1.

Tammnay Mishra and Collins Obuya put together a useful partnership to take the Kenya score to 80 at the end of the 22nd over.

Rob Taylor then accounted for the wicket of Obuya when a leading edge looped the ball into the air to give Coetzer a simple catch at mid-wicket.

Patel came to the crease in the hope of offering Mishra some support. He could only muster 12 runs before he was struck on the pad by Calum MacLeod’s fourth delivery of the day, signalling the slow raising finger of umpire Gregory Braithwaite.

Mishra remained a thorn in the Scottish side but could only watch on as wickets tumbled at the other end.

The 28th over produced a wicket-maiden for MacLeod; Aga edged a delivery to the reliable David Murphy, standing up to the stumps, to put Kenya in deeper trouble at 109/6.

It was a 7th wicket partnership that proved to be to most productive for the Kenyans when Nelson Odhiambo accompanied Mishra. Although the boundaries were few and far between the pair took an industrious approach, running hard when finding the gaps in the field.

The pair put on 44 runs in 10 overs. Mishra had reached his second half century of the series from 75 balls and included two fours. He managed to score another 9 runs before attempting to hit over the top but didn’t connect properly offering Coetzer another catch, this time at mid-off.

Taylor and Wardlaw made light work of the Kenyan tail with some disciplined bowling. Taylor first beat a defensive stroke from the stubborn Nelson Odhiambo in the 43rd over, with the score now on 161/8.

Shen Ngoche faced 4 deliveries before he swished at another full ball by Taylor, only to see his off-stump cartwheeling backwards.

Some good running by the Kenyans did get them to 183/9 but another yorker did the trick for Wardlaw claiming the final wicket of Nehemiah Odhiambo.

Just as the final Kenyan wicket was taken a rain shower swept across the ground but had cleared by the time Coetzer and Freddie Coleman headed to the middle for the Scotland reply.

Coetzer stuck the first boundary of the Scotland innings with a cracking shot through the covers as 9 runs came from Ragheb Aga’s opening over.

There was time for one more boundary by the Scotland captain with a cut over point before the threatening rain came down with the hosts on 22/0 after 6.2 overs had been bowled.

A long wait then took place as supporters found shelter in the Aberdeenshire pavilion with only short intervals in the rain showers. At 6pm the umpires met with the two captains to confirm that the match would resume tomorrow.

When the players meet tomorrow morning Scotland will require 162 runs with 10 wickets in hand from the remaining 43.3 overs.

Coetzer said after the game had been abandoned for the day, “It was a good solid performance out in the field and it’s disappointing we aren’t able to get a result today, but we’ll be prepared for it tomorrow.

We started really well with the new ball and put them under pressure straight away which is what we’ve been talking about.

Everyone chipped in and bowled well, I thought Carter bowled well up front with Wardlaw and Maj controlled the middle overs well.